Life, 1912-12-19 · page 10 of 40
Life — December 19, 1912 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a domestic Christmas story, not political satire. The narrative follows young Bobbie Handerly on Christmas morning, who discovers a short, stout person in the fireplace with a bag of toys—identifying herself as "Mrs. Santa Claus." The humor centers on subverting Santa Claus mythology: Mr. Claus has "permanently retired," unable to manage the job alone. The fat lady reveals herself as Bobbie's mother in disguise, explaining she must visit other "suffragette" mothers' homes that day. The accompanying illustrations show domestic scenes: Mrs. Claus with Bobbie, and below, a winter scene with figures and humorous caption about a thief wearing rubbers and walking backwards. The satire gently mocks both Christmas commercialism and early-20th-century women's suffrage activism through this whimsical family scenario.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIF Be The fat lady bowed. “Don't you see? lam Mrs. Santa Claus.” “And Mr, Santa Clau “Oh! He has permanently retired. He found that he wasn't equal to the job. Being only a man, he was limited in his capacities.” Bobbie was silent for a moment. Then his face bright- ened. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “Now I know. You are a sut- fragette, are you not? And oh!"—he clapped his hands in glee—“.You are my mother.” Mrs. Santa Claus regarded him for the first time with silent sympathy. “Do I look like your mothe: he said at last. And Bobbie, shaking his head, replied: “T really couldn't tell, because I haven't seen her for it long time. She's a suffragette like you. And, say! If you are not my mother, won't you stay and be one?” Mrs. Santa Claus brushed a tear from her eye as she placed a generous bag of toys on the floor and prepared to depart. “T wish I might,” she said. “ But I must obey the voice of Duty! Think of all the other little boys and girls | must visit to-day whose mothers are suffragettes!" Knowing IG AUNTIE: Well, Tommy, so Santa Claus was good to you, was he? Brought you lots of things, did he? Lite Tomaty: Huh! You can’t fool me! There ain't AcCHRISTMAS CVE SURERIER any Santa. It’s Dad—and he's the stork, too! MISTAKES WILL HAPPEN The New Christmas Régime [" was just beginning to be Christmas morning as little Bobbie Banderly awoke with a start. Still dark, he was obliged to turn on the light for an instant to see what time it was. One o'clock. Suddenly he heard from the regions below a slight noise. He jumped softly out of bed. Now Bobbie, in spite of his sex, was a brave little boy. Determining not to disturb his sister, who lay calmly sleeping in the next room, he stealthily made his way down stairs. The light in the hall was turned low, but he could see the fireplace very plainly in the dis- tance. He waited. The sound of bells overhead on the roof indicated that some one was coming. Who could it be? His heart was in his mouth. Fortunately he had not long to wait. There was sound of falling brick, and then— A short dumpy person stood in the fireplace, on her back a large sized bag of toys. Bobbie. inspired by the “See TERE, MR. JOHNSING, THAT THIEF WORE RUDDERS fatal curiosity that his sex had suddenly developed, AND WALKED BACKWARDS.” bounded forward. “THEN WE MUST LOOK OUT FOR A MAN WITH RECED- “Who are you?” he exclaimed. 1N’ GUMS.” comicbookMeum